"Tell Me You Love Me": Somewhat Dirty But Not Sexy

HBO's latest effort into "groundbreaking" original series is as close as you can get to the "adults only" section of your favorite video store. "Tell Me You Love Me" centers on several couples and their sexual problems--all dealt with by a therapist, played by the wonderful Jane Alexander. (Another nice note: Alexander, who's in her 60's, is shown to have a robust sex life with her husband Arthur, played by David Selby. Score one for enlightenment.)
On "Tell Me," the couples are heterosexual (gay couples are over at Showtime, home of "Queer As Folk" and "The L Word"). And their personal lives are troubled. One pair has long stopped having sex (the wife becomes upset when she sees her husband--in the famed "Seinfeld" term--no longer "master of his own domain.") A couple about to get married break apart when the man tells the woman he doesn't expect to be faithful for life. And a third couple trying to have a child treat sex as more of a chore to achieve an end result.
But the hook of "Tell Me" (at least to HBO) is the sex scenes. I have no problem with hearing the couples discuss their sexual problems--but in true HBO fashion, we get to see the couples engage in the nasty. Of course, the women are seen full frontal; the men are only seen naked from the backside and above the waist. No "Full Monty's" here! And there's enough groaning and moaning to fill the soundtrack of a real adult movie.
That's the main problem with "Tell Me You Love Me:" The sex scenes actually take away from the serious discussion about problems many couples indeed go through--and a times, become more gratuitous than essential to the story. (Will we see the pizza delivery boy come to the door in a future episode?) All this show needs is cheesy 1970's music and dialogue in the tradition of real "adult" videos.
It's a shame. Without the sex, "Tell Me You Love Me" is adult and frank--compelling viewing. With the sex scenes, it feels cheap and tawdry. This is one program that would benefit from less "show" and more "tell."
More television series reviews and a wrap-up of the 2007 Prime Time Emmy Awards are coming soon.
Until next time, happy viewing.